I was born with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) a hereditary nerve condition that has shaped my life in ways both visible and invisible. To most people, there is nothing to see. No cast, no wheelchair, no outward sign of the daily negotiation happening inside my body. But growing up in South Africa, I felt every moment of it.
Climbing stairs felt like an extreme sport. Running with friends was a challenge I rarely won. I fell for no reason, struggled to stand for long periods, and watched from the sidelines as other children moved through the world with an ease I couldn’t access. I was left out of team sports, physical experiences, and the ordinary childhood moments most people never think twice about.
For years, I didn’t have a name for what I was carrying. When the diagnosis finally came, something shifted. I had a name, CMT, and with it, a decision: I would understand exactly what I was dealing with, and I would fight back.
I am now a mother of three — aged 22, 20, and 16 — each navigating their own version of CMT. Sharing a genetic condition with my children keeps me accountable in the most profound way. Every choice I make around strength training, stretching, nutrition, and mental wellbeing is also a lesson I pass on to them. Core strength, muscle maintenance, mobility, and mindset are an intentional way of life in our household. My children remind me daily why giving up has never been part of the plan.
A new chapter: biohacking
Two years ago, I emigrated from South Africa to the United States. It was more than a relocation — it was an awakening. I stepped into the world of biohacking: a space where science, technology, and relentless curiosity meet. Suddenly, I had access to therapies and strategies designed to support my nervous system, muscles, and cellular health on a deeper level.
My protocol now includes red light therapy, infrared sauna sessions, PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field therapy), lymphatic drainage, strength training, Pilates, intermittent fasting, and targeted supplementation. Each piece plays a distinct role in supporting circulation, mitochondrial function, and cellular repair. Together, they help me improve muscle recruitment and stay one step ahead of progressive weakness.
Of everything I have explored, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has captivated me most. Stepping into a pressurized chamber and breathing pure oxygen is unlike anything else I have experienced. Within a 24-hour window, I feel a measurable lift in mental clarity, strength, endurance, and stamina. The day after a session, I step into the gym and I am faster, stronger, and more capable than I was before. The little girl who always lingered at the back has disappeared. In her place, I find myself among the front runners, finishing strong and competing at a level I once only dreamed of.
The feeling is short-lived. The window closes, the gains fade, and I have to return to the chamber to reclaim them. But in that moment, I know what it feels like to run toward victory —and that feeling is worth everything. When you live with hereditary weakness, even the smallest gain feels monumental.
None of this is a cure for CMT. But it has given me something equally powerful: control. It reminds me — and my children — that we are more than our diagnosis. Strength is not only physical. It is attitude, curiosity, resilience, and the refusal to let a condition write the narrative of your life. Every day, I am building a body that is stronger, more capable, and better supported than it was the day before.
This is more than a routine. It is a mindset.
If you are navigating invisible struggles defined by neurological conditions, chronic illness, or the weight of raising children with their own added hurdles, I want you to know this: a full, powerful life is still possible. It has always been possible. And I intend to keep proving it.
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Gabi Pearlman is a South African-born mother, biohacker, and CMT warrior who refuses to let a hereditary neurological condition define her limits. After emigrating to the United States, she discovered the transformative world of biohacking — exploring natural modalities including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, red light therapy, nutrition, and movement to reclaim her strength and support her body and condition. As a mother of three children who share her CMT diagnosis, Gabi’s pursuit of optimal health is both personal and purposeful. She believes a full, vibrant life alongside chronic illness isn’t just possible — it’s essential for mind and body.
